12. David Backes, RW, St. Louis. Another product of Minneapolis, Backes tied his career high of 31 goals last season and recorded a personal-best 62 points. He also plays a rough-and-tumble power forward and will drop the gloves with anyone, as the Ducks can attest.

1. Ryan Miller, G, Buffalo. With apologies to Tim Thomas and his spectacular season, Miller is the main reason why the Sabres have made the playoffs four times since the 2005-06 season. The former Michigan State star and Hobey Baker Award winner won the Vezina Trophy in 2010 and was the best goalie in the Olympics in leading the U.S. to a silver medal. His numbers fell a bit in 2010-11 but he has 30 or more wins in each of his six NHL seasons.

4. Zach Parise, LW, New Jersey. Before a knee injury limited him to just 13 games last season, Parise ripped off four 30-goal seasons. He had a career-best 45 goals and 94 points in 2008-09 and followed that up with 38 goals and 82 points in 2009-10. Another Minneapolis product who starred at the University of North Dakota.

10. Joe Pavelski, C-RW, San Jose. Little Joe posted a 66-point season for San Jose and has now been promoted to the first line with "Jumbo" Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau after the trade of Devin Setoguchi. Pavelski has 38 points in 58 playoff games.

14. Jonathan Quick, G, Kings. For someone who is supposed to lose his job to prized backup Jonathan Bernier any day, Quick has flourished as he's won 74 games the last two seasons. He went 35-22-3 with a 2.24 GAA and a .918 SV% in 2010-11.

6. Bobby Ryan, LW, Ducks. Few players in recent history have racked up the kind of numbers that Ryan has put up in his first three full NHL seasons. His goal totals have been 31, 35 and 34 respectively while his points have increased from 57 to 64 to 71.

19. Drew Stafford, RW, Buffalo. A native of Milwaukee, Stafford tapped into the potential that made him the 13th pick of the 2004 draft last season by scoring a career-high 31 goals and 52 points despite being limited to 62 games. He had four hat tricks in 2010-11.

8. Paul Stastny, C, Colorado. Born in Quebec but a dual citizen and representative of the U.S. at the world championships and Olympics, the son of NHL great Peter Stastny slipped to 57 points in 2010-11 but he's topped 20 goals in four of his five seasons and recorded 70-plus points in three.

7. Ryan Suter, D, Nashville. Ducks fans saw in the playoffs last season how effective Suter is as a shutdown defenseman with puck-moving ability. The Wisconsin native and seventh overall pick in 2003 has averaged 37 points the last four seasons and teams with Shea Weber to form one of the NHL's best defense pairings.

3. Tim Thomas, G, Boston. The Michigan native pulled off the rare trifecta in his 2010-11 dream season as he won the Vezina Trophy, Stanley Cup and Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player in the playoffs. Thomas, 37, was amazing as he went 35-11-7 with a 2.00 GAA and .938 SV%.

22. James Wisniewski, D, Columbus. The Canton, Mich., native isn't quite as good as he thinks but he's a tough customer on the ice and keeps improving offensively. He had a career-best 10 goals and 41 points between the New York Islanders and Montreal, which got him a six-year, $33-million deal from the Blue Jackets.

15. Keith Yandle, D, Phoenix. Yandle has matured into a top defensman with big-time offensive skills as his 59 points last season earn him some Norris Trophy consideration. The Boston native also played in his first All-Star game.

20. Paul Martin, D, Pittsburgh. One of many Minnesota-born players in the NHL, Martin has been a steady performer on the blue line for seven seasons. The sturdy, positonally-sound puck mover spent the first six with New Jersey before signing a free-agent contract with Pittsburgh.

9. Phil Kessel, RW, Toronto. Kessel's been knocked for his lack of a two-way game but his offensive talent is undeniable as he's coming off his third straight 30-goal season, his second with a Maple Leaf team lacking in overall talent.

11. Dustin Brown, RW, Kings. The hard-hitting captain of the Kings has scored 141 goals in his six NHL seasons and has had 24 or more goals and 53 or more points in each of the last four campaigns. Was one of several on this list to win silver at the 2010 Olympics

18. Dustin Byfuglien, D, Winnipeg. The converted forward from Minneapolis blew up last season with Atlanta after winning a Stanley Cup in Chicago. Big Buff had 20 goals and 33 assists to rank among the top scoring defensemen and now will be counted on to lead the new Jets franchise.

16. Ryan Callahan, RW, N.Y. Rangers. How much do the Rangers think of the Rochester native? Callahan was named the 26th captain in franchise history, succeeding Chris Drury. He can also play a little bit, posting 23 goals and 25 assists in 2010-11.

21. Brandon Dubinsky, C, N.Y. Rangers. Dubinsky continues to improve and the 2004 second-round pick is an essential piece in the franchise as he's coming off a 24-goal, 54-point season. The Anchorage native signed a four-year extension this summer.

25. Erik Johnson, D, Colorado. The No. 1 overall pick of the 2006 draft had a promising first two seasons with St. Louis but seemed to take a step back and the Blues sent him to Denver in a blockbuster trade. He's still just 23 and is now considered a cornerstone for the Avalanche.

13. Brian Gionta, RW, Montreal. Gionta might be short in stature but the Rochester native still has large game. The winger had 29 goals for the Canadiens last season, the seventh straight year that he's topped 20 goals. He still holds the New Jersey franchise record with 48 goals in 2005-06.

23. Alex Goligoski, D, Dallas. A native of Grand Rapids, Minn., Goligoski put up a career-best 14 goals and 32 assists last season while splitting time with Pittsburgh and Dallas. He'll be a critical part of the Stars' blue line going forward.

24. Jimmy Howard, G, Detroit. The Syracuse native and former University of Maine star supplanted Chris Osgood in 2009-10 and has won 74 games over the last two seasons. His goals-against average did jump from 2.26 to 2.79 last season.

17. Jack Johnson, D, Kings. The Indianapolis-born Johnson has always been a bit of a wild card from the back end but he's already been a U.S. Olympian and took another step forward last season by posting a career-best 42 points in his fourth NHL season.

5. Patrick Kane, RW, Chicago. The first pick of the 2007 draft hasn't disappointed as he's averaged 25 goals and 75 points in his four NHL seasons. Just 22, the Buffalo native already has a Stanley Cup and an Olympic silver medal.

2. Ryan Kesler, C, Vancouver. Few players are effective on both sides of the puck as the Livonia, Mich. native, who went from 25 goals to a career-high 41 last season. Kesler was a force in the playoffs as well, particularly in the Canucks' second-round win over Nashville. He won his first Selke Trophy as the NHL's top defensive forward.

Maybe it was a year later than it should have been, but Mike Modano retired last week as a member of the Dallas Stars after signing a symbolic contract to come back home.

His one season with the Detroit Red Wings never turned into that last shot of glory but Modano will be remembered as an icon for a Stars franchise. He was also the last link to the Minnesota North Stars before their move to Texas.

Click on the photo for the top 25 U.S. players.

Not only did Modano win a Stanley Cup with the Stars and retires as the all-time leading scorer for an American-born player but he played a central role in the effort to grow hockey at the grassroots level in the Lone Star State.

In honor of the player that’s arguably the greatest American forward in the sport’s history, the Register ranks the top 25 players representing the red, white and blue today. Is the young crop of Cam Fowler, Kevin Shattenkirk and James van Riemsdyk ready to break through? Where does Bobby Ryan sit on this list?

In short, who do you think is best the U.S. has to offer? Feel free to agree or disagree in the comment area below.

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